Display device



Jan. 12, 1943. s. P. BROWN DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l A M :7 mu

3 |||||lil INVENTOR.

Jan. 12, 1943.

s. P. BROWN DISPLAY DEVIFCE Filed Jan. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

INVENTOR Patented Jan. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY DEVICE Simon P. Brown, New York, N. Y.

Application January 2, 1940, Serial No. 311,998

(Cl. 2l144) 3 Claims.

My invention relates generally to display devices. More particularly, it relates to an improvement in display appliances to co-operate with a table or other platform top, which is adapted to display unwound, but uncut, portions. of bolted fabrics or piece goods, and simultaneously, to store and display the remaining wound portions of the bolts of piece goods.

The common practice in merchandising bolted goods is to store the bolts on shelves, tables or counters, and to unwind portions thereof for examination by prospective purchasers. This practice is cumbersome and tedious, as well as costly, as a large number of bolts are usually examined. A large amount of space is necessary for storing such bolted goods, and considerable time is wasted in removing and replacing the bolts to their permanent positions. Other disadvantages are the inability to stand almost exhausted bolts upright and the resulting untidiness and damage that results from stacking bolted goods one upon the other. A further disadvantage is the fact that single bolts cannot easily be removed for inspection, it usually requiring considerable displacement of other bolts. I

Numerous contrivances have been devised in attempts to overcome these disadvantages, none of which has fully or effectively overcome all of these difficulties. Moreover, such contrivances are either too costly to manufacture, or difiicult Q to assemble, operate or use.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 284,- 665, series of 1935, filed July 15, 1939, issued as Patent No. 2,260,294, on October 28, 1941, I have shown how I have applied my invention to movable racks. In this application, I show how it is applied to a table or other platform top already used for displaying piece goods bolts or other merchandise, so that such tables may be economically utilized in connection with my improved display methods.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a display appliance to co-operate with a table or other platform top, which is adapted to facilitate the storage of quantities of bolts of goods, and simultaneously, to display such goods in the bolt, and in unwound, but uncut, portions thereof, in the manner hereinafter described.

A further object is to provide a display appliance adapted to store a quantity of bolted goods in. an upright position, regardless of the thickness of the bolts, or whether the bolts are oval or tubular in shape, and adapted to display such bolts so that the same are clearly visible, and readily available to the prospective platform top.

purchaser. With this appliance, a larger number of bolts may be stored and displayed, without the necessity of displacing any bolts for examination. This appliance is especially adapted for self service arrangements, thereby releasing the sales force for other duties.

Another object is to provide a display appliance that permits displays of bolts of goods of uneven heights to present a neat and. attractive appearance. This appliance promotes economy as it permits the utilization of tables or other platforms now used for theold fashioned type of piece goods display, or for other purposes, in the new, efficient and attractive type of display which I have devised. 'I have so devised my appliance that marring of expensive and fancy table tops can be prevented when using my display methods. i

A further object is to provide a display appliance that holds piece goods bolts firmly, yet permits them to be easily and readily removed;

that can be easily assembled and mounted upon a table or other platform top, and just as easily disassembled; that can be removed from the table or other platform top as a unit; that is adand simple parts; that is space saving, inexpensive to manufacture, attractive in design, simple to assemble, adjust and use.

Further objects of my'invention will become apparent in the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a complete display appliance, embodying my invention, show: ing one version and the manner in which it cooperates with a table top, and indicating two bolts of piece goods on different levels, itbeing readily apparent that following the principles disclosed herein, a quantity of bolts may be displayed as well. V

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l, and looking toward the end of the table, illustrating the methods whereby oval piece goods bolts are held upright, and how this particular version is attached to a table or other Fig. 3 is a detail view,-looking upward from underneath, of one of the corner. sections of the table indicated in Fig. l, to which this particular version has been" applied, to show how the corner member is used to connect the arm members.

and to assist in holding the appliance to the table top.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of part of a different version of my invention, showing an alternative method of attachment to a table or other platform top, and illustrating the means of holding tubular piece goods bolts upright.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the particular type of member shown in Fig. 4 to hold tubular piece goods bolts upright.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, specifically, there is shown a display appliance, I0, embodying one version of my invention, comprising a pair of parallel arms 20, and a pair of parallel arms 2|, fitting around the top edge of a table or other platform top A, said parallel arms 20, and 2|, being connected at their ends with each other to form a rectangle, by means of corner pieces 22, and held fixedly in said members 22 by screws 23. It is obvious that the arms 2|] and 2| may be treated to accommodate them to circular or other peculiarly shaped table or other platform tops.

Corner pieces 22 have suificient overhang to support the appliance on the top of indicated table A, and with a table top as indicated, sufficient underflange 24 to hold under the table corners. In addition, or as an alternative with other types of tables, parallel arms and 2| may be provided with other means to hold them to the table or other platform top, such as provision for being screwed into the side thereof.

Parallel arms 20 and 2| are of regular solid bar or hollow stock, of suitable dimensions, and material. Preferable materal is a lightweight metal, although wood, or any plastic would serve as well.

Said parallel arms 20 and 2|, contain apertures 40, which are provided either by drilling or in molding, and which occur at regular intervals, the purpose of which will become apparent subsequently. Corner members 22 contain apertures 4| similar to. apertures to permit the display of bolts at the table corners; to thereby fully utilize all available facilities, and to achieve thereby a finished effect in the complete display.

Bolt receiving members 50 are provided to support bolts of material in upright position. Such members 50 are removably attached to the appliance I0 in the following manner. One leg of each U-shaped member 50 is selectively received in one of the apertures 40 or 4|. Fig. 2 clearly illustrates that one leg of any member 50 has a double offset, the end of which 50a, is bent slightly away from the perpendicular. The free leg of said member 50 also terminates in an offform top A. Said member 50 is made of a springy material, so that when leg 50a is inserted in an aperture 40 or 4|, a spring tension results which frictionally holds 5% firmly flat on the tabletop A, and thereby prevents displacement thereof. Each U-shaped member 50 can receive a bolt B of piece goods as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2;

The appliance as now described will therefore permit a continuous display of piece goods bolts upright, around the top edges of the table or other platform top A.

To permit additional bolts to be displayed on the same table, I have provided the following described means.

L-shaped members 30 .are fastened to the respective parallel arms 2|, as shown. This is Til accomplished by means of bolts 3| passing through the openings 32, of each member 30, which are in register with appropriate apertures 40 of each arm 2|. The other end of each L-shaped member 30 is provided with a socket 33 in which a member 34 is received. The height of each member 34 above the table A is adjustable by means of screw 35 in each L-shaped member 30. Each member 34 has two arms with hollow sockets 36 which receive the ends of parallel arm members 3'! which are held fixedly by screws 38 in sockets 36. Parallel arms 31 have apertures 60 at regular intervals along their respective lengths, in the same manner that arms 20 and 2| have apertures 40.

In any pair of apertures 60 of parallel arms 31, U-shaped members 5| may be received. The free legs of each U-shaped member 5| are bent as shown, with offsets 5| a, to prevent said legs from passing too far through apertures 6|) of parallel arms 37. As shown in Fig. 2, the extreme lower ends 5| b of U-shaped members 5| are bent slightly inwardly from the perpendicular, to obtain a spring effect when member 5| is inserted in a corresponding pair of apertures 60 of arms 31, to hold such member 5| tightly, therein. Each of said U-shaped members 5| can receive a bolt of piece goods C, as indicated in dotted line in Figs.. 1 and 2.

The appliance as above described can receive piece goods bolts B and C on different levels for display purposes. In use, the resulting display has great attractiveness, and all the parts of the appliance are hidden by the draped uncut, but unwound portions of the piece goods bolts.

Now referring to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, I show a second version of my invention, which, however, operates on the same principles.

I substitute for arms. 20 of the first version parallel arms. 10 which run lengthwise upon the tableor other platform top A, inwardly spaced from the edges thereof. Said arms 10 are held in fixed. position on the table top A by socket members 15, a pair of which are fastened to opposite top edges of the table top A for each arm 10'.

Instead of parallel arms. 2| of my first version, I substitute cross armsv each of which likewise is held in position by means of a pair of socket members 15 fastened to opposite top edges of table top A. Arms. '11 are spaced some distance inwardly from the table ends, and are appropriately shaped to fit. over parallel arms 10, as. shown.

With this arrangement, I can make arms '10 as long as is necessary to accommodate any extra long, platform top, and by using as many arms II as are found necessary, securely fasten my appliance to the platform top.

Like arms 20 and 2|, arms 10 and H of this version have apertures at regular intervals, the. difference being that apertures 80 are disposed horizontally instead of vertically.

Apertures 80 receive a modified bolt holding U-shaped member 52', which differ from members:50 to permit use in the horizontally disposed apertures 80 of this version. Like member 59, member 52 has offset ends, 52a and 52b, one of which ends 52a, may be coiled to lie flat on the table top A, like 551) of member 50 of the first version. The other end 5% of member 52 is also coiled to lie fiat on the table top A, but is continued suificiently to form an end 520, which may beselectively received in any aperture 80 of arms 10, or 1|. End. 5200f. member 52 is bent slightly downward, to obtain a spring effect, which results in causing end 52a to be held frictionally on table top A, thereby preventing displacement.

To provide for a piece goods display on a higher level in this version, the same arrangement is used as in my first version, with appropriate modification. Accordingly, L-shaped member 30 is replaced by an upright 95, which is fastened to a cross arm H by bolts i The other details may be as described and shown in the first version.

In Fig. 4 and particularly in Fig. 5, I have shown a modified bolt holding U-shaped member 53 which I have developed for use with tubular bolts of piece goods, D.

Member 53 consists of two crossed U-shaped wires 6! and 52 which may be made of springy metal. These wires SI and B2 are fastened together at their common apex 63 by spot welding or any other appropriate method. They are also joined together by the annular ring 55 which has a. slot 65. The purpose of the slotted annular ring 65 is to force the wires 6| and 62 outwardly around said ring. The member 53 is therefore slightly wider around ring 65 than at the apex and at that portion of the said wires below 65. The purpose of this is to insure that the tube upon which the piece goods is wound, will be held firmly on member. 53, the wires BI and 62' being compressed by the tube and in turn compressing ring 65. The slot 66 is incorporated to permit this compression.

Each of the arms 5| and 62 are doubly offset into ends 61a and Gil) and 62a and 62b, as shown in Fig. 5. Each of said ends 6 la, Bib, 62a and 62b is bent slightly away from the perpendicular to bring about an additional spring action when these ends 61a, Bib, 62a and 6212 are inserted in appropriate corresponding apertures 68 of a pair of parallel arms 31. This construction brings about a gripping of the said wires 6| and 62 at their ends Gla, 6 lb, 62a and 62b in the said apertures 6i] and consequently a firm support for the tubular piece goods bolt held on member 53.

This modified U-shaped member 53 can, of course, be used with either version of my invention, as well as with any other similar device, such as for example the rack described in my copending application, above mentioned.

The spacing of apertures 40 of parallel arms 20 and 2|, of 60 in parallel arms 31, and of 80 in parallel arms 15 and Ti, is determined by the average thickness of a bolt of piece goods, it being obvious that if a bolt of piece goods is of more or less than usual thickness, the adjacent U-shaped members, either 50, 5|, 52 or 53, as the case may be, can be moved or omitted for accommodation. The number of such apertures and the spacing thereof permits selective displaying which is of great desirability. Each of said U-shaped members is of a suitable height to prevent a piece goods bolt from tipping or falling over.

The appliance actually in use may be readily visualized from the various drawings which indicate how piece goods bolts are held in various fashions at various levels in accordance with my invention.

Provision can, of course, be made to use felting to prevent any marring of the sides or tops of the table or platform top used.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction are permissible without departing from the spirit of my invention. I desire therefore not to limit myself to the exact forms of construction shown and described, but intend to point out in the claims below all of the invention disclosed herein. It should also be understood that all the separate parts may be made in appropriate shapes in any desired materials having suitable characteristics.

I hereby claim as new and novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a display appliance of the character described, adapted to be used with a table or other platform top, a frame supported by said table or other platform top, a plurality of piece goods bolt supporting members, means to attach said piece goods bolt supporting members to said frame, a second frame, a second group of piece goods bolt supporting members, means to attach said second group of piece goods bolt supporting members to said second frame, means to attach said second frame to said first frame, and means to adjustably move said frames relatively to each other.

2. In a display device of the character described, the combination of a table or other platform, a frame supported thereby, a plurality of piece goods bolt supporting members, means to attach said piece goods bolt supporting members to said frame, a second frame, a second group of piece goods bolt supporting members, means to attach said second group of piece goods bolt supporting members to said second frame, means to attach said second frame to said first frame, and means to adjustably move said frames relatively to each other.

3. In a display appliance of the character decribed, adapted to be used with a table or platform surface, a member having apertures therein, the axes of said apertures being transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of said member, means for supporting said apertured member upon said table or other platform surface, a vertical piece goods bolt supporting member of inverted U-shape, one leg of said bolt supporting member having a horizontal portion selectively received in one of the apertures of said member, a second portion of the said leg being angularly disposed downwardly with respect to the axis of said aperture pressing against the table to provide a spring action for resiliently retaining said bolt supporting member attached to said longitudinal member, the other leg of said bolt supporting member resting freely upon 

